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Rock solid

Well, you'd have to understand that the rock solid I'm speaking about is in my mind, not part of my squishy belly.

I'm not everything I want to be, but at this stage of the game (53 years old) I'm happy and content. The Umstead 100 mile is about one month out, and facing 100 miles isn't an easy task. But this time around it's about a casual approach, 4-5 good audio books on my Zune, and slow methodical forward progress.

There are a few fine tuning adjustments I can still make to my diet; thinking about going to protein smoothies for dinner, which in turn will wash down all the super Hammer Nutrition supplements my brother Richard gave me for Christmas. This array of capsules is supposed to rocket charge my rear end, so I'm hoping that dedicated doses going into the race will give me the push I need.

My training isn't bad, but it's surely not optimum. Heck, I'm sure you understand that life sometimes gets in the way of best intentions. I did get 90 minutes in last Saturday and two hours on Sunday, so not a total wash.

On the prep side I'm still deciding on what Brooks racing outfit I'll wear, but I have opted to go with Brooks Beast and a thin sock. Trail shoes aren't really necessary on the Umstead loop, so I'm going for stability and comfort.

Attempting a 100 mile is like putting a huge puzzle together. But I'm in a good place with my job and health and a special person in my life.

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(Disclaimer: I am a Brooks-supported athlete; as part of that relationship, I was provided a complimentary copy of "Eat & Run")

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